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Bite-Size Climate Tech · Season 5 · E9
CO₂ to Ethylene with Alex Ip, CERT Systems
About this episode
In this episode of Bite-Size Climate Tech, Lydia speaks with Alex Ip, Co-founder & CEO of CERT Systems, about a different route to one of industry's most important building-block molecules: ethylene.
Alex explains how direct CO₂ electrolysis can use CO₂, water and electricity to make the same industrial building-block molecule normally made from fossil feedstocks.
He breaks the technology down using Lego blocks and an “electrolyser sandwich,” before moving from the chemistry to the Season 5 question: why could this be good business?
They discuss why making the same drop-in molecule could make adoption easier for existing industry, modular production, moving from lab proof towards commercial demonstration, and the pathway towards cost competitiveness.
The conversation also covers Tencent CarbonX and Alex’s belief that future generations should not have to give up useful materials or quality of life to solve climate change.
Key takeaways
- Why ethylene matters across everyday products and industrial value chains
- How direct CO₂ electrolysis uses CO₂, water and electricity to make ethylene
- The Lego-block and “electrolyser sandwich” technology explainers
- Why making the same drop-in molecule could make adoption easier for existing industry
- How modular production fits the discussion about scaling
- Moving from lab proof towards commercial demonstration
- The pathway towards cost competitiveness
- Tencent CarbonX and Alex’s view that climate solutions should preserve useful materials and quality of life
Guest
Alex Ip
Co-founder & CEO, CERT Systems